Her breath came faster.
He sent them back?
A flicker of disbelief passed through her, was he saying the truth? He hadn't taken them as spoils of war, hadn't handed them over to be used and discarded like most invading armies did. No, it was the men who had been gathered, bound and awaiting judgment. She swallowed. What kind of enemy is this?
But there was no time to dwell. A rough tug on the chains forced her forward. They led her to a tree, tying her against it with knots that cut into her skin. She watched from her forced position as the vampire mounted his horse, the movement fluid and practiced. The remaining soldiers fell into line, some staying behind to secure what was left of her kingdom
Then a shadow loomed over her... loosening the rope around the the
She barely had time to react before she was lifted, thrown unceremoniously onto the back of a horse. A sharp gasp escaped her as the breath was knocked from her lungs. The ropes securing her arms were tightened around the horse's saddle, ensuring she had no chance of escape.
A soldier took the reins of her horse, pulling her along as they began the long ride north.
The wind was cruel against her skin, carrying with it the scent of burning wood, of blood and death. Each step of the horse jostled her, the ropes digging deeper into her wrists.
She forced herself to stay silent.
Because no matter how much she wanted to scream, to demand answers, to curse the man standing before her
She knew it wouldn't change a thing.
__
The journey stretched endlessly, each hour pressing heavier on her body. Her arms ached from the tight restraints, and the constant sway of the horse left her stomach churning. Tied face-down over the saddle, she could only watch the world pass in fleeting glimpses—dust rising beneath hooves, the shifting of armor, the darkening sky.
Her captors rode in silence, their voices only surfacing in occasional murmurs, speaking in a language she couldn't fully understand. It sounded ancient, like a relic of a time long before hers, yet familiar
Her thoughts drifted. The castle… her father… they were gone. She hadn't turned back to see, but she knew. Slaughtered. Burned. She had never loved her father, nor he her, yet a strange hollowness sat in her chest. Would her people survive this? Or would the kingdom crumble without its ruler?
A sudden lurch sent her slipping from the saddle, her body tilting dangerously. A sharp tug yanked her horse back in place, saving her from tumbling headfirst onto the dirt. She gasped, blinking against the dizziness, only to find those red eyes fixed on her.
The vampire.
He had turned his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over her—calculating, assessing. It lasted only a moment before he looked away, resuming his pace as if she were nothing more than a piece of cargo.
She clenched her teeth.
After what felt like an eternity, the trees thinned, giving way to a settlement ahead. A village.
Her breath caught.
She had read about the northern territories, the whispers of human settlements coexisting with vampires, but seeing it was different. The streets bustled with life—men and women moving about, voices rising in casual chatter. She expected fear, cowering, but there was none. Instead, there was something unsettlingly normal. Humans walked freely among vampires, as though there was no predator among them.
As they passed through, heads turned. Some villagers paused in their tasks to watch, their eyes flickering to her before settling on the one leading the procession. She followed their gazes and found them lingering—not on his weapons or his presence, but on him.
Women blushed, whispering behind their hands.
She hadn't looked at him properly before, too consumed by fear and exhaustion. But now, with the firelight casting shadows against his face, she saw it. The sharp edges of his features, the effortless grace in his posture, the way his dark hair barely concealed those crimson eyes. His presence was heavy, commanding, yet unhurried, as if he carried the weight of time itself.
She tore her gaze away. He is my captor. What did it matter how he looked?
A hard tug on her restraints pulled her from her thoughts. She was yanked from the horse, her knees buckling the moment her feet hit the ground. Her body, stiff from hours of restricted movement, collapsed onto the dirt.
She hissed, her wrists burning where the chains had rubbed raw against her skin.
"Cette erde en urmn" (she can barely walk) A voice spoke in the unfamiliar language, and she felt the weight of eyes on her again.
The vampire finally turned. His gaze swept over her again, this time slower. Then, in the same neutral tone as before, he spoke.
"Do not make trouble."
With that, he gestured toward a soldier.
"Take her to the holding quarters."
She wanted to fight. She wanted to spit at his feet, to curse him, to demand answers. But her limbs trembled, her body betraying her. So instead, she swallowed her pride and let them drag her away.
---
The room they placed her in was not what she expected.
She had imagined a damp cell, chains on the walls, cold stone beneath her feet. Instead, it was… comfortable. A simple but clean space with a proper bed, a wardrobe, and a bath already drawn with steaming water.
She hesitated at the door, brows furrowing. What kind of prison is this?
Her body ached for relief, and as much as she wanted to stay on guard, exhaustion won. Stripping off her ruined clothes, she stepped into the bath, the warm water immediately pulling a soft sigh from her lips.
Her head lolled back against the edge, muscles finally relaxing. She let herself sink into the heat, closing her eyes, willing herself to think of nothing.
She didn't know how long she stayed like that, but by the time she stirred, the water had gone lukewarm, and her fingers were wrinkled. Shivering, she pulled herself out and wrapped a thick robe around her.
The air felt different.
Quieter.
Moving toward the balcony, she pushed the curtains aside. Below, the village was alive with laughter. A large fire burned at its center, casting flickering light across the faces of those gathered.
And there he was.
Seated among them.
The vampire captain.
His posture was relaxed, his expression unreadable. But what struck her most was how effortlessly he blended in. There was no separation between vampire and human. Children surrounded him, laughing as they tugged at his arms, their small faces bright with admiration
It made no sense.
How could a being capable of so much destruction sit so calmly among them?
She should feel afraid. Uneasy. And yet…
Yet she didn't.
As though sensing her gaze, he suddenly looked up.
Their eyes met.
A slow, heavy silence stretched between them. Something magnetic pulled at her, an unseen force that made it impossible to look away.
Her fingers curled around the balcony railing.
---
Unable to take the tension, her eyes strayed away, settling on the flickering fire below. The flames danced, casting moving shadows on the faces of those gathered, but her mind was too clouded to focus. Eventually, she turned away, stepping back into the dimly lit room. The weight of exhaustion pulled at her limbs, the ache settling into her bones. Though the marks from the bindings had begun to fade, the strain of the journey still clung to her.
She climbed onto the bed, the mattress softer than she expected. Pulling the covers over herself, she let out a slow breath, allowing the whispers of the night to lull her into much-needed rest.
Back at the bonfire
The vampire's gaze lingered on the empty balcony long after she had disappeared. His fingers tapped idly against his knee, his expression unreadable. Something about her unsettled him, a feeling just beneath the surface that refused to fade.
It wasn't her defiance—he had encountered plenty of prisoners who fought against their chains. It wasn't even her fear—though faint, it was there, buried beneath layers of stubbornness. No, it was something else. Something far more elusive.
A weird feeling of familiarity--she reminded him of a certain group of people.
The fire crackled, sending embers drifting into the night. Around him, the villagers began to retreat to their homes, their laughter fading into the quiet hum of the village. Still, he remained, staring into the flames, lost in thought.
He would keep an eye on her.
Just in case.